Knicks · Mike Brown will be the next NY Knicks coach (page 4)

Uptown @ 7/2/2025 6:24 PM
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

I've seen this narrative and I do not think its accurate....

EwingsGlass @ 7/2/2025 6:33 PM
I’m good with Brown. Doubt we get Borrego. They wouldn’t let Denver have him. I’d like to see them fill out the assistants with more youthful coaches. I’m not hateful toward Mo Cheeks, Mark Bryant and Rick Brunson, but I saw the play seemed to get slower and more static as the season went on. I’d love to see the kind of ball movement Borrego used in Charlotte with the defensive sets Brown used in Cleveland.

Curious why it’s still “expected” and not done?

Nalod @ 7/2/2025 6:53 PM
We don't know if Thibs pushed back on his assistants do we?
Erman? Mark Bryant? Brunson?
So how can we say who we want?
Willie Green was on the hot seat and Borrego could be plan B for them.

Regarding Brown, some careers just don't have the right timing.
I have more confidence in Leon and his process than anyone here.

He need not be drastically "better" than Thibs. There is no "get us over the hump". We improved year to year.
This is about roster and getting the talent into a cohesive grove.

Philc1 @ 7/2/2025 10:06 PM
Uptown wrote:Mike Brown was the coach of the number 1 defenive team inn the league in 2009 and on the opposite end, was the coach of the number 1 offensive team in the league in 2023! He coached next to Pops, Carlilse, and Kerr. Was the head coach of a team that went to the finals, and was the associate head coach of a team that won 3 chips. His playoff and regular season winning % is better than thibs. This is a good hire, considering....

For those wondering and asking well, why was he fired in Sacramento? Same reason Thibs was fired, and Malone was fired, and Vogel was fired, and Bud, etc....Coaches are hired to be fired. And typically, the press release has something to do with coach and front office not being on the same page....

As crazy as it sounds Brown’s most remarkable achievement might have been getting the kings to the playoffs after a 17 year drought.

joec32033 @ 7/3/2025 12:07 AM
fishmike wrote:Has Mike Brown ever won a playoff series? Arent all his wins with Lebron teams?

Like I thought this was about winning a title. We at least saw Thibs with some quality playoff wins... Cle/Phili/Bos were all quality wins.

It's wild because Brown's rep is playing his guys too much and never adjusting. Y'all are gonna love him

He was COY his first year in Sac and the team got worse each year. They lost to the 6th seeded Warriors in their only playoff appearance.

Look... bottom line is this is a WIN WIN for Knick fans. We either win a title or are at least in the finals and Leon was right again. Or we flame out in the 1st or 2nd round to the Hawks or Bucks, but the important thing will be we did so with leadership and collaboration.

Matt George (Locked on Kings host) was on Locked on Knicks E2099 discussing Mike Brown. Give it a listen. Totally different perception then the one you are putting out there.

HofstraBBall @ 7/3/2025 12:18 AM
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:

Not optimal when a coach is hired and then fans root for a specific assistant to be hired to help.

Only if you look at it from a weird angle.

Bringing in the best resources to your organization is always a good thing when you can. It’s a reflection on what the FO is trying to do, not necessarily an indicator of Brown.

Weird angle only if those “best resources” are not the lead assistant for the former Head Coach nor an assistant who was in the running for the job you were just hired for.

The “normal process” is for a coach to pick his own assistants. Aka, trust in the guy you just hired to put together a winning staff and one he is comfortable with. Maybe reason why Jenkins did not work out. Since that is what happened to him in Memphis and did not go well. This reeks more and more like what I have been saying. Rick and JB in charge and Dolan appeasing them with a collaborative pick.

Hey, doesn’t matter if it works and we are better. But I took off my Rose colored lenses a long time ago as a Knick fan. Or maybe it’s from being in finance for so many years. Where you see how cut throat business is. And the NBA is a huge business.

Leon and Wes did this when Thibs was hired. Make that work with the Brunson connection.

Maybe this type of thing is not of your flavor but it don’t mean it’s necessarily bad. But you went all conspiracy for no reason.

Well , my other theory in which I predicted Randle would be traded back to the Knicks fell through. So….

So if they insist on a move to keep the “Brunson connection “ happy, is that whats best for the team? For the new coach?

As for conspiracy theories, isn’t that what all fan opinions basically are?
Neither of us know why or who fired Thibs.
Nor do we know why Brown was picked or what conditions were given.
My theory leans the way it does due to the past record of our glorious owner. And the two items listed above.

Does it really matter?
Probably just here on some of these threads.
Game one is a few months away and all that will matter at the end is how much winning takes place.
My fear is that if things don’t go well, we will head closer to the pre Thibs dysfunctional Knicks where Dolan hires lackeys so he can have more say.

martin @ 7/3/2025 8:31 AM
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:

Not optimal when a coach is hired and then fans root for a specific assistant to be hired to help.

Only if you look at it from a weird angle.

Bringing in the best resources to your organization is always a good thing when you can. It’s a reflection on what the FO is trying to do, not necessarily an indicator of Brown.

Weird angle only if those “best resources” are not the lead assistant for the former Head Coach nor an assistant who was in the running for the job you were just hired for.

The “normal process” is for a coach to pick his own assistants. Aka, trust in the guy you just hired to put together a winning staff and one he is comfortable with. Maybe reason why Jenkins did not work out. Since that is what happened to him in Memphis and did not go well. This reeks more and more like what I have been saying. Rick and JB in charge and Dolan appeasing them with a collaborative pick.

Hey, doesn’t matter if it works and we are better. But I took off my Rose colored lenses a long time ago as a Knick fan. Or maybe it’s from being in finance for so many years. Where you see how cut throat business is. And the NBA is a huge business.

Leon and Wes did this when Thibs was hired. Make that work with the Brunson connection.

Maybe this type of thing is not of your flavor but it don’t mean it’s necessarily bad. But you went all conspiracy for no reason.

Well , my other theory in which I predicted Randle would be traded back to the Knicks fell through. So….

So if they insist on a move to keep the “Brunson connection “ happy, is that whats best for the team? For the new coach?

As for conspiracy theories, isn’t that what all fan opinions basically are?
Neither of us know why or who fired Thibs.
Nor do we know why Brown was picked or what conditions were given.
My theory leans the way it does due to the past record of our glorious owner. And the two items listed above.

Does it really matter?
Probably just here on some of these threads.
Game one is a few months away and all that will matter at the end is how much winning takes place.
My fear is that if things don’t go well, we will head closer to the pre Thibs dysfunctional Knicks where Dolan hires lackeys so he can have more say.

You were the one who brought this up as a possibility, so maybe you need to substantiate it. I think it has nothing to do with appeasing Brunson.

newyorknewyork @ 7/3/2025 8:48 AM
Pretty wild that mud is getting slung at towards Brunson for the Thibs firing. We finally get a PG that can lead us to 47-50-50 win seasons, & our first ECC run since 1999. Not to mention, takes a pay cut to add more talent to push for a chip.

Meanwhile there is no indication that Brunson wanted Thibs gone at all. I mean why would he. Thibs gave Brunson carte blanche. Brunson also parroted everything Thibs would say which had Josh Hart poking fun at him for in the past. Why would "the Brunson(s)" look to separate from this clearly favorable situation for them?

If it came down to a disgruntled player. Mikal Bridges would probably be the top of the list in players that may have pushed for Thibs to be removed.

If were all being real though. The moment we traded for KAT we knew the pairing wasn't ideal. Thibs ideally wants a defensive anchor big like Jakeem Noah or IHart/Mitch. As projected we would need to eventually make a decision on who to move forward with between them.

Lastly if the goal was purely to allow "the Brunson's" to run the show but maneuver away from Thibs since the other players aren't with the vibes. Johnny Bryant would have been probably the easiest option for them to bring in and "control". Why risk bringing in an outside like Mike Brown?

Doesn't add up.

Nalod @ 7/3/2025 9:04 AM
It's been over 10 years since the McKinsey consulting came in and they attempted to run the team by accountants.
The resulting action from a FO standpoint was Grunwald was fired in October (who does that?) and Mills was hired.
I don't consider this a bad idea as Mills was a super intelligent executive but 6 months in Dolan hired PhilJax and moved Mills down a notch. Let's visit the moment as fans were protesting for Dolan to fire the team outside the garden. This build up was after the Isiah era of disaster and Mills hardly had time to make a change. Isiah had depleted the draft picks and constructed an epic failed salary structure. Stay with me here.........
Dolan needed a starphuch and Phil was not a bad idea. Stay with me.......Remember we had Melo and little else.......
Stay with me here.......It was a good idea but Phil could not execute his triangle religion. He was hired to get the team into middle pack status and build on it. He only had two 1st round picks. KP and Frank.
He was fired for wanting to trade KP at the peak of his Unicorn potential. While he drafted him as a 4th pick after KAT, D'angelo Russel and Okafor went, it was a not brainer for him to take him but he thought the lack of lower body strength he'd not be durable. Spot on.
Stay with me.......k
Phil wanted Steve Kerr. Great ideal. It would not have worked here but it was a good call. Fisher? Proved to be a bad choice but at the time he looked like the next fresh face and understood the Triangle. This was the guy that game up big money at Utah so he could move his family back to LA so his daughter could have as special doctors care. C'maon, y'all remember that! Problem was a few years later he preferred some other women's "Triangle" and left his wife and kids behind. As well as his duties as a coach. He was not ready to be a full time HC. Good idea, bad execution!
Phil proved to be low energy and was rightfully relieved. Mills was a good trooper and given a chance. All he while we did not starphuch our picks into tired used up players. Mills signed Scott Perry and they paved a nice path that Leon was able to use.
Mills was let go because he might have been tempted to make moves to save his job and deviate form the plan. Don't trade picks yet!!
Recall Scott Layden did similar. We had to suck and let contracts run out. Isiah instead leveraged those contracts for worse ones and used picks to build an awful situation. First thing he does was trade for Marbury. Layden was given the task of trading A worn out Ewing that had a few years left on that deal.

Dolan now understands Starphuching does not work. Knicks are relevant by being patient.

martin @ 7/3/2025 9:45 AM
ramtour420 @ 7/3/2025 10:08 AM
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

He has had a number one offense in this league with an all star big man and an all star PG. Something that Thibs wasn't able to do. Not the same guy

fishmike @ 7/3/2025 10:13 AM
joec32033 wrote:
fishmike wrote:Has Mike Brown ever won a playoff series? Arent all his wins with Lebron teams?

Like I thought this was about winning a title. We at least saw Thibs with some quality playoff wins... Cle/Phili/Bos were all quality wins.

It's wild because Brown's rep is playing his guys too much and never adjusting. Y'all are gonna love him

He was COY his first year in Sac and the team got worse each year. They lost to the 6th seeded Warriors in their only playoff appearance.

Look... bottom line is this is a WIN WIN for Knick fans. We either win a title or are at least in the finals and Leon was right again. Or we flame out in the 1st or 2nd round to the Hawks or Bucks, but the important thing will be we did so with leadership and collaboration.

Matt George (Locked on Kings host) was on Locked on Knicks E2099 discussing Mike Brown. Give it a listen. Totally different perception then the one you are putting out there.


The perception I am getting is from Kings fans and folks who have seen him coach up close.

The only thing Brown brings is that he's not Thibs. That's literally it. Offense? He's simply bad without a "guru" assistant. His rotations are set in stone and his adjustments are not exisitant. He's a players coach who's MO is to empower his guys to succeed or fail. Literally just like Thibs.

fishmike @ 7/3/2025 10:18 AM
ramtour420 wrote:
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

He has had a number one offense in this league with an all star big man and an all star OG. Something that Thibs wasn't able to do. Not the same guy

how did that team do in the post season? Brown has never won a post season series without Lebron. Btw he coached Lebron 5 years. He averaged 42mpg, 41mpg, 40mpg, 37mpg and 39mpg.

Thibs has never played a guy more than Mike Brown played Lebron.

Legit LOL at "#1 offense" we can hang that in the rafters

fishmike @ 7/3/2025 10:20 AM
Uptown wrote:
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

I've seen this narrative and I do not think its accurate....

prolly cause Thibs is better
GustavBahler @ 7/3/2025 10:21 AM
Im getting old. Forgot Mike Brown wasnt coaching the 16' Cavs, conflated his earlier stint with Cleveland. Yikes.
GustavBahler @ 7/3/2025 10:34 AM
Brown is coming in knowing what got Thibs fired. He's shown he can focus on either side of the ball. I will be very suprised if our bench plays the fewest minutes in the league again. Surprised if our recent picks are an afterthought in the offense.

Just by virtue of not playing our starters more minutes than any other team in 30 plus years will help. Using the bench which was better than the amount of PT they actually got, will help.

They may have some similarities in coaching style. Doesnt mean Brown will ignore how Thibs coached last season, and not alter his game plan accordingly.

You know what they say about trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I dont think Brown is crazy enough to make the mistakes that got Thibs fired.

Rookie @ 7/3/2025 10:42 AM
The FO is going to look like fools if Bridges declines an extension and becomes a FA. It did’t look like Bridges liked his role with a Thibs coached team. He’s going to be looking for his vet max contract and he had a down year under Thibs. Somebody was whining about they didn’t know what their role was. Bridges accepting less money by extending is critical to our cap math. Saying the best thing about Mike Brown is that he is not Thibs is very relevant
Rookie @ 7/3/2025 10:46 AM
The numbers

Mikal Bridges is eligible for a contract extension with the New York Knicks this offseason, with a maximum of a four-year, $156 million deal. However, reports suggest he may defer signing an extension until next summer to potentially earn a larger contract then, possibly even a max deal worth $296 million. The Knicks acquired Bridges in a trade last summer and are reportedly keen on keeping him long-term.

newyorknewyork @ 7/3/2025 10:47 AM
Imo Mike Brown is safe and experienced. So the team should have relative success given the amount of talent on it. The question is more so. Will Brown be the type of X factor in the playoffs that will outcoach/maneuver our opponent(s) to get us over the top to the chip?

I guess time will tell. Nabbing elite assistant coaches will def help the process though if that is to be pulled off in general.

HofstraBBall @ 7/3/2025 11:36 AM
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:

Not optimal when a coach is hired and then fans root for a specific assistant to be hired to help.

Only if you look at it from a weird angle.

Bringing in the best resources to your organization is always a good thing when you can. It’s a reflection on what the FO is trying to do, not necessarily an indicator of Brown.

Weird angle only if those “best resources” are not the lead assistant for the former Head Coach nor an assistant who was in the running for the job you were just hired for.

The “normal process” is for a coach to pick his own assistants. Aka, trust in the guy you just hired to put together a winning staff and one he is comfortable with. Maybe reason why Jenkins did not work out. Since that is what happened to him in Memphis and did not go well. This reeks more and more like what I have been saying. Rick and JB in charge and Dolan appeasing them with a collaborative pick.

Hey, doesn’t matter if it works and we are better. But I took off my Rose colored lenses a long time ago as a Knick fan. Or maybe it’s from being in finance for so many years. Where you see how cut throat business is. And the NBA is a huge business.

Leon and Wes did this when Thibs was hired. Make that work with the Brunson connection.

Maybe this type of thing is not of your flavor but it don’t mean it’s necessarily bad. But you went all conspiracy for no reason.

Well , my other theory in which I predicted Randle would be traded back to the Knicks fell through. So….

So if they insist on a move to keep the “Brunson connection “ happy, is that whats best for the team? For the new coach?

As for conspiracy theories, isn’t that what all fan opinions basically are?
Neither of us know why or who fired Thibs.
Nor do we know why Brown was picked or what conditions were given.
My theory leans the way it does due to the past record of our glorious owner. And the two items listed above.

Does it really matter?
Probably just here on some of these threads.
Game one is a few months away and all that will matter at the end is how much winning takes place.
My fear is that if things don’t go well, we will head closer to the pre Thibs dysfunctional Knicks where Dolan hires lackeys so he can have more say.

You were the one who brought this up as a possibility, so maybe you need to substantiate it. I think it has nothing to do with appeasing Brunson.

Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring.
Reasonable guess that it was the reason Jenkins cooled on job.
You brought up that it was done when Thibs got hired as well?

So valid question. Did adding/keeping Rick benefit the team? Maybe.
Didn’t hurt Thibs if Rick’s opinion soured on him? I think so

HofstraBBall @ 7/3/2025 11:45 AM
ramtour420 wrote:
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

He has had a number one offense in this league with an all star big man and an all star PG. Something that Thibs wasn't able to do. Not the same guy

Jordi Fernandez had a lot to do with that.
He is heavy PnR. Maybe improves the KAT/JB PnR.
But that always depends on PG decision making.
He had Fox having one of his best seasons in 22/23

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